Saturday, October 30, 2010

MESSAGE FROM KATE: UNFORTUNATELY I CANNOT ACCESS MY EMAIL ACCOUNT AND MY COMPUTER HAS ALSO "DIED." I, HOWEVER, HAVE POSTS AUTOMATICALLY SCHEDULED HERE 'TIL SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER BECAUSE I AM HAVING SURGERY SOON; THEREFORE, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO SET UP ANOTHER EMAIL ACCOUNT FOR BLOGGING RIGHT NOW, TRY TO RECOVER MY ADDRESSES NOR RESPOND TO YOUR COMMENTS. WHENEVER I CAN I'LL VISIT THOSE OF YOU WHO ALLOW ANONYMOUS COMMENTS ON YOUR BLOGS. BUT I'LL BE BACK. IF YOU CARE TO EMAIL ME, I HAVE ANOTHER TEMPORARY ADDRESS:

PS. I think that Denton, dear Denton, has "fixed" my blog for me so that I can post...at least while I still have my writing hand!! Thanks, Denton. My library trips are limited so I'll try to visit your blogs whenever I can!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

These beautiful and patient animals spent the day pulling a wagon full of familes who were enjoying the cool and sunshiny fall weather at a vineyard and restaurant where we enjoyed a wonderful pasta meal while watching the parents and children having fun.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

"These photos show just a small portion of the Stillwater bridge: The bridge consists of ten fixed steel truss spans 1,050 feet (320 m) long in total, including a vertically lifting span 140 feet (43 m) long. It is 23 feet (7.0 m) wide, allowing one lane of traffic in each direction. The lifting span is a Waddell and Harrington type, one of six built in Minnesota and Wisconsin and one of three still remaining today. Built in 1931 to replace a swing bridge from 1910, it was the last bridge of this design to be built in the area. Minnesota and Wisconsin evenly split the $460,174 cost of the bridge." Credit: Wiki To learn more about this bridge, its safety rating, its future and a photo of the lift mechanism, click here.

Friday, October 15, 2010

The wedding party had already disappeared before I saw the trolley that had brought them and friends to the hotel where I assume the reception was taking place. When I entered the hotel to find them, the elevator door was just closing so I caught just a glimpse of the bridal group. Wasn't quite fast enough!

"You have to kiss a lot of toads before you find a handsome prince." Anonymous

Thursday, October 14, 2010

October is "Stop Bullying Month." With the rash of tragic incidents involving bullying in schools and on college campuses, this billboard is highly appropriate. Peace does begin at home and then extends outward. When children and young adults are affected, adults need to step in!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Joseph is the valet at the entrance to United Hospital in St. Paul. When he saw me taking photos of a sculpture in front of the hospital, he approached me and asked to see my camera. He in turn proudly showed me a picture of his son on his camera. Joseph is from Ethiopia and has been in the United States here in St. Paul for two years. I wish that I could speak another language, ANY language, as well as he speaks English!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

The following quote is from this site, which explains the grassroots environment efforts:

"The 'Global Work Party' is designed to couple grassroots environmental activism with political engagement in communities across the world on Oct. 10, 2010 — 10/10/10.

McKibben, co-founder and director of 350.org, the organization responsible for planning Sunday's "work party," put on a political rally last year that CNN called the most widespread day of political action in history. In hopes of lighting a fire beneath world politicians, the scope of this year's event has expanded to global scale.
'"We need to figure out a way to get our politicians to work," McKibben said in a phone interview. "We figured one way would be to get to work ourselves, to kind of provide the model, and so all over the world people will be doing very useful things in their community.'"

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I learned about this effort too late to check it out in St. Paul and to participate; however, "planting" a tree on my blog is one way to promote attention to environmental issues. I think that I will plant a tree myself somewhere it might be needed.

Friday, October 08, 2010

After leaving my neighborhood library, I spotted this three-wheeler. I ride my bike, covet scooters and thought that this vehicle might be one I'd like to try! My adult childen would smile, DH would just pretend he doesn't know me, but my grandkids would cheer me on! Have to choose one's friends wisely if this is the vehicle of choice!

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Because I had an early morning appointment, at 7:30 am I drove past this yearly "prank" visited upon some hapless home owner. I laughed and stopped to talk to the young man who was busily trying to clean up the mess (probably on orders of his angry parents). Johnny, a high school junior at a neighborhood school, was the target by his buddies, I'm sure. As a former teacher of kids that age, I was amused. When I related the scene to my husband, his reaction was quite different. He didn't think it was at all funny, considering the clean-up job. I'd rather see kids doing that, tho, than smoking pot or getting into drugs. I continue to laugh as I drive by since it takes awhile for the clean-up job. Perhaps I'm the only adult who thinks it's funny?!

And, since this is National Poetry Day with the theme of "home," ...

"'Home is the place where, when you have to go there,/They have to take you in.'"

Monday, October 04, 2010

This imposing red sandstone Victorian was designed in 1888 for Clarence H. Johnston and William Willcox for Harriet and Rush Wheeler, the latter a prominent lawyer who led the effort to create the center boulevard on Summit Avenue west of Lexington Parkway. Now owned by House of Hope Presbyterian Church, the mansion serves as the home for its minister and his or her family. Credit: Villager

Sunday, October 03, 2010

This foot bridge spans Montreal Boulevard close to 7th Avenue. When my DH was a young sprout, and when it was fun and safe to engage in some neighborhood shinanigans, his compatriots and he would drop water balloons on the cars passing below. How frightening and thrilling it was to have an angy motorist chase them, attempting to get just retribution for their "boys-will-be-boys" activity. Didn't get captured, but it was a sobering experience for them. Guess their activity ceased shortly thereafter not only because of being chased, but they realized their "fun" could be dangerous for the motorists.
To see more bridges of different kinds, go to Louis La Vache's Sunday Bridges site. Click here.

For the treat of a lifetime, go visit Lark Toys in Kellogg, Minnesota. It is a treasure trove of handmade wood toys and vintage toys with one of the most remarkable carousels you might ever see. My grandkids and I have been going there for years. It is a 25-year-old family business that was started in a garage by a hand carver. It grew like topsy over the years with many different kinds of toys, both modern and hand-made, and now has a restaurant, candy shop, a mini-golf course, and a gift shop under one roof with the hand carved carousel the major draw. $1.00 gets you a ride on one of the animals on the carousel.

"And the seasons, they go round and round,/ And the painted ponies go up and down./ We're captive on the carousel of time." Joni Mitchell

Click here to see more camera critters posted by bloggers from around the world.

Friday, October 01, 2010

I have noticed that bloggers use the words "graffiti" and "mural" interchangeably so I don't know how I should classify this one. Since it is NOT on a community center building but rather on one that looks abandoned, I will put it in the category of GRAFFITI.